Amusement apparatus



Sept. 1', 1936. J. H. 'I 'IGERMAN AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Joseph/1i 72' erman HI 5 ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 1, 1936. J. H. TIGERMAN AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed NOV. 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Josnaa/z H Dyer-man. BY 7% M4 HIS ATTORNEYS.

Alb

Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to amusement apparatus. It is an object of this invention to provide an improved amusement apparatus which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and efficient in use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel amusement apparatus in which a beam of light may be directed from an adjustable or movable pistol through a relatively small orifice or target toward a photo-sensitive cell so as to actuate a mechanism, such, for example, as a. score-registering device, which indicates the players success or failure in directing the beam through the orifice or target."

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel device for retarding the action of the manually operated trigger switch which controls the operation of the lamp from which the beam oflight is directed so as to allow the lamp to become incandescent.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device by means of whichthe hazard or difiiculty experienced by the player in directing the beam of light through the orifice or target is increased.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be. hereinafter deerence to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

'Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an amusement apparatus embodying a preferred form of the present invention, part of the top wall of the cabinet being broken away to show certain of the operating parts;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical sectional view on line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on line 3-3 in Fi 1;

Fig. 4 is a bottom detail plan view on line 4-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the relationship between the coin slide and the full stroke switches;

Fig. 6 is a, sectional view of the pistol member or gun on line 6-6 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line l-l in Fig. 1, showing the shutter-operating mechanism; Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the shutter-operating mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is' a sectional view on line 9-9 in Fig. 2, showing the shot register-operating mechanism; Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line Ill-l in Fig. 9;

Fig.'11 is an enlarged top plan view of a switch operating mechanism embodied in the invention and is taken on line I l-l I in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 12 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical circuits embodied in the invention.

An amusement apparatus embodying a preferred form of the present invention is shown in the drawings, is therein generally indicated at l5, and comprises a cabinet it which includes a transparent top I! and a transparent end wall l8.

Movably or adjustably mounted in the end wall I8 of the cabinet l6, for both vertical and horizontal movement, is a pistol or gun which is generally indicated at l9, this pistol l9 being mounted, by means of a. ball and socket or universal joint 20, upon the upper end portion of a post or 15 supporting member 2|, and the latter having a swivel mounting 22 upon a horizontal wall 23 of the cabinet I 6.

Arranged in the pistol I9 is an electric lamp 24, and circuit to this lamp 24 may be opened and closed by means of a conventional switch, which is generally indicated at 25, and which is operable by means of the trigger or finger grip 26 of the pistol I9 (Fig. 6).

Arranged in the barrel 2! of the pistol i9 is a lens 28 by means of which light may be focused at an aperture or "bull's-ey 29 which is provided in a vertical wall 30 of the cabinet l6 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3).

Arranged in the cabinet l6 behind the wall 30 is a photo-electric cell, generally indicated at 3|, and of conventional design, and this cell 3| is actuated by a beam of light directed through the aperture or orifice 29, this photo-sensitive cell 3| being intended to actuate any mechanism which it may be desired to arrange in the cabinet l6, such, for example, as the score-registering device, which is generally indicated at H,

or any other desired mechanism, such, for example, as a visible signal, an audible signal, or the like.

Arranged betw the aperture 29 and the photo-sensitive cell 3i is a light-gathering lens 89 (Fig. 2), and associated with the cell 3| is a conventional amplifying device 10, (Fig. 12), the cell 3| and the amplifying device Ill being arranged in a circuit 13 (Fig. 12).

To increase the hazard incidental to the playing of the present game apparatus, that is, to make it relatively more diflicult to direct a beam of light through the orifice or aperture 29 against the photo-sensitive cell 3|, a shutter 32 is pivotally mounted in the cabinet It, as at 33, between the photo-sensitive cell 3| and the orifice or aperture 29- for oscillatory movement. This shutter -arranged in the cabinet I 6 (Figs. 9 and 10) 32 has an arm 36 which is engageable with the teeth I6 of a ratchet 35 (Fig. 7), and theteeth M of, the ratchet 95 are arranged or spaced at irregular intervals radially therearound (Fig. '7) for a reason to be explained hereinafter.

The present apparatus includes a shot-registering device which is generally indicated at I2 (Figs. 1, 9 and 10) and which registers the number of times the player has operated the trigger switch 25-26. This shot registering device I2 is operated through the medium of an escapement mechanism which includes an escapement pawl 65 which is pivotally mounted between its ends, as at 46, upon a supporting wall 69 which is This escapement pawl 45 includes a pair of spaced arms lland 68 which are engageable with the teeth of a ratchet 50 (Figs. 9 and 10), and the pawl 95 is normally urged by a spring 11 (Fig. 9) in a direction (counterclockwise, Fig. 9) to urge the arm 9? thereof into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 50.

The pawl 45 has an extension or arm 85, and engageable with this arm is an armature 10 of an electromagnet 43 (Fig. 9).

The ratchet 50 has a hub portion 5!, and attached to and projecting upwardly from the hub portion 5|, through an opening 52 which is formed in a wall 23 of the cabinet I6, is a shaft 50. Carried by this shaft 54 is a pointer or indicator arm 55 which is movable over the face of a registering dial 56 (Fig. 1) which is arranged in the cabinet 66 below the transparent top ll of the same.

Pivotally mounted in the cabinet 56, upon a horizontal sup rt 49 (Fig. 10), as at I9, is a segmental gea 80 which meshes with a pinion gear M, the pinion gear 86 being rotatably mounted, as at 82, upon the support 49. A link mechanism, generally indicated at I8, operatively interconnects the hub 5i of the ratchet 50 with the pinion gear 85. The segmental gear or rack 00 isgnormally urged by a spring 86 (clockwise, Fig.

Mounted in the end wall 51 of the cabinet I6 (Fig. 4) isa coin slide 50, and the inner end portion of this coin slide 50 is engageable with an end portion .59 of a plunger 60 which is slidably mounted in the cabinet l6 below the floor 23. Carried by and projecting laterally from the slide rod or plunger 60 are arms 6I one of which is engageable with a lug 62 which is. attached to and depends from the segmental gear 80 (Fig. 10), this lug 62 working in a slot 83 which is formed in the supporting wall 49, (Figs. 9 and 10).

The mechanism 60-6 I--6280- -8 I--'I8--5I forms a resetting device for resetting the ratchet 50 and the score indicator or pointer 55 back into their initial or zero positions, after each game played upon the apparatus, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

Arranged in the cabinet I6 adjacent the shotregistering device 5556, is a score-registering device, generally indicated at II (Fig. l), and which includes a dial 65. Movable over this dial 65 is a score-indicating arm or pointer 66 (Figs. 1 and 2). This score-registering device II is similar to the shot-registering device I2, is operated by a similar mechanism, (not shown), and is reset by a similar resetting device (not shown), it being deemed unnecessary to show the operating and resetting mechanisms for the score-registering device II since these mechanisms are substantially duplicates of the operating and resetting mechanisms for the shot-registering device I2 and which latter mechanisms are shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

The score-indicating arm or pointer 66 of the score-registering device II is operated by means of an electromagnet I09 and associated devices, which are similar to the corresponding parts of the shot-registering device shown in Figs. 9 and 10, and this electromagnet I09 is arranged in a circuit 86 (Fig. 12) the shot-registering device I2 being arranged in the circuit 36 (Fig. 12). Embodied in the circuit 86 (Fig. 12), and operated by the coin slide 58, is a conventional so-called timing or master switch 66 (Figs. 4, 5 and 12) and arranged adjacent the timing switch 44 is a so-called full stroke switch 81.

The present invention embodies a plurality of electrical circuits which are shown, diagrammatically, in Fig; 12.

The first of these circuits, which is generally indicated at 36, comprises the trigger-operated switch 2526, a conductor 08 which leads from one side of the switch 25--26 to one side of the electromagnet 63 which is associated with the shot-registering device I2 and its operating pawl 45, conductors 09 and 90 which lead from the opposite side of the electromagnet E9 to one side of a rectifier 92, and a conductor 93 which leads from the other side of the rectifier 92 back to the trigger switch 2526 (Fig. 12)

The second of the several circuits embodied in the present invention (Fig. 12') comprises a switch 94 which is associated with the pawl 47 of the shot-registering device I2, a transformer 95, conductors 96 and 97 which lead from one side of the transformer to one side of the lamp 24, a conductor 90 which leads from the other side of the lamp 24 to a switch 99 which is associated with the movable element or piston I00 of a dashpot I5, a conductor I0! which leads from the other side of the switch 99 to one side of a switch 92, a conductor I02 which leads from the other side of the switch 92 to one side of the switch 94, and a conductor I03 which leads from the other side of the switch 90 back to the transformer 96.

The third of the several circuits embodied in the present apparatus comprises a conductor 506 which leads from one side of the trigger switch 25-26 to one side of a solenoid 6I, conductors I05 and 90 which lead from the other side of the solenoid 67 to one side of the rectifier 92, and the conductor 99 which leads from the other side of the rectifier 92 back to the trigger switch The fourth circuit embodied in the present apparatus is generally indicated at I3 (Fig. 12) and comprises the photo-electric cell 3!, a relay I06, a switch I0I which is associated with the relay I06, a conductor I08 which leads from one side of the switch I0I to one side of an electromagnet I09 which is in the circuit 86 and which is associated with the score-registering device II, and a conductor IIO which lads from the other side of the switch I01 to the rectifier 92, (Fig. 12). Associated with, and forming, in effect, a part of the last-named or fourth circuit I3 is a switch I I2 which is associated with the pawl III of the score-registering device II, a conductor I I3 which leads from one side of the switch II2 to one side of a group of score-indicating signal lights H4, and a conductor H5 which leads from the other side of the score-indicating lamps II4, through the conductor 96, into the transformer 95. out of the latter by way of the conductor I03, and back to the other side of the switch II2 (Fig. 12).

The fifth circuit embodied in the present apparatus comprises a full-stroke switch 01 which is operated by the coin slide 58 when the latter completes a full stroke, the timing switch 44, a conductor H6 which leads from one side of the switch 44 to the transformer 95 (Fig. 12), a conductor III which leads from one side of the transformer 95 to one side of the shutter-operating motor 31, and a conductor II8 which leads from the other side of the motor 34 to the transformer 95.

Operation In order to play the present amusement apparatus, the player must first insert a coin or token into the coin aperture of the slide 58, and operate the latter, thereby causing the conventional timing switch 44 to close, and thus closing the motor circuit 3'I44I I6-95I I1-3'I- II9-I24, thereby causing the motor 31 to operate the shutter 32, through the medium of the parts 35-44-34, that is, when the motor 31 is thus operated it causes the ratchet 35 to rotate (counterclockwise, Fig. '7), whereupon the teeth I4 of the ratchet 35 successively engage the arm 34 of the shutter 32, thus causing the latter to oscillate back and forth.

The player may then, by operating the trigger 26, illuminate the lamp 24. When the trigger 26 is thus moved, it closes the switch 25, thereby energizing the shot-registering device circuit 25- 89430990-92 and 93 (Fig. 12) thus actuating the electromagnet 43 and the shot-register.- ing device 12 associated therewith. When the electromagnet 43 is thus actuated, it attracts its pivotal armature I0, thereby moving one end portion of the same into engagement with the arm of the pawl 41 and thus pivoting the latter, at 46, (clockwise, Figs. 9 and 12); thereby causing the pawl 41 to advance the ratchet 50 so as to move the indicator or pointer arm 55 of the shot-registering device I2 over the face of the dial 55 a circumferential distance corresponding to the distance between two teeth on the ratchet I0, and thus indicating that a shot has been made upon the apparatus; and each time the shotregistering device I2 (Fig. 9) is thus actuated it advances the pointer or indicator 55 one step over the dial 56, thereby registering the total number of shots made by the player for each coin inserted into the coin aperture of the slide 58.

When the shot-registering device I2 is thus actuated the pawl 41 thereof engages and closes the switch 94 (Fig. 12), whereupon current will flow through the circuit 94I0292--IOI99 9824--9'I--96-95 and I03, thereby illuminating the lamp or light source 24 which is arranged in the pistol I9.

As the lamp 24 in the pistol I9 is thus illuminated, by the closing of the circuit 94-I02-92- I 0 i-9998--249'I9695- I 03, the player may, by skillfully manipulating the pistol I9 about its mountings 20 and 22, direct a beam of light from the lamp 24, through the lens 28 and aperture 29, past the vibratory or oscillating shutter 32, and through the lens 69 into the photo-sensitive cell 3 I, thereby actuating or energizing the latter.

When the photo-sensitive cell 3I is thus energized or actuated, by a beam of light from the lamp 24, it energizes, the circuit I3 which includes a conventional amplifying device I0 and associated devices (Fig. 12). This circuit I3, in addition to including the photo-sensitive cell 3|,

also includes a relay I06 and when the photosensitive cell circuit 'I3 is closed the relay I06 is energized, and when the relay I06 is thus energized it closes the switch I01 (Fig. 12). When the switch I0! is thus closed current will flow from one side of the switch I 01, by way of the conductor I08, to one side of the electromagnet I09, which is associated with the score-registering device 1|, from the opposite side of the electromagnet I09 through the conductor into the rectifier 92 and from an opposite pole of the latter by way of the conductor IIO back into the switch I01 thereby energizing the electromagnet I09 (Fig. 12).

When the electromagnet I09 is thus energized, it attracts its movable armature H9, and the latter thereupon engages an arm I20 of the pawl III, thereby pivoting the latter, at I2I, (clockwise, Fig. 12). When the pawl III is thus pivoted (clockwise, Fig. 12) by the action of the electromagnet I09, it moves the pointer arm 66 over the face of the dial 'II a circumferential distance or step corresponding to one score thereon, thus indicating that the apparatus has been successfully operated by the player and that a score has been made thereon.

When the pawl III is thus pivoted (clockwise, Fig. 12), to actuate the pointer or indicator arm 66 of the score-registering device II, it closes the switch I I2, whereupon current will flow from the switch II2, by way of a conductor I l3 to the signal lights II4, which, when thus illuminated indicate that the device has been operated successfully by the player and a score made thereon, current then flowing by way of the conductors H5 and 96 through the transformer and into the conductor I03 and back into the switch II2.

When the trigger switch 25-46 is closed, current flows by way of the conductor I04 to one side of the solenoid 61, thence through the latter and by way of conductors I05 and 90 to one side of the rectifier 92, and thence by way of the conductor 93 back to the trigger switch 25-26.

When the solenoid 61 is thus actuated, it attracts the movable element or piston rod I00 of the dash-pot 15 (left to right Fig. 11), thereby moving the latter, against the action of its resetting spring I22 (left to right, Fig. 11). During this movement of the piston rod I 00 of the r dash-pot 15 (left to right, Fig. 11) a laterally extending arm I23, which is carried by the piston rod I00, engages one of. the contacts of the switch 99, (Fig. 11) and thereby opens the latter and the circuit to the lamp 24, thus extinguishing the latter, whereupon the person operating the trigger switch 25 will release the latter and the'piston rod I00 of the dash pot IS-I00 will be reset back into its initial position (as in Fig. 11) by the resetting spring I22; it being noted that the action of the dash pot I5-I 00 in opening the switch 99 and the circuit to the pistol lamp 24 controls, in effect, the length of time during which the pistol lamp 24 may be kept illuminated by the action of the player in holding the trigger switch 25-26 closed.

When the coin slide 58 is pushed in (left to right, Figs. 1 and 2), the inner end portion of the same engages the arm 59 of the plunger 60, thereby moving the latter (left to right, Fig. 2), whereupon the laterally projecting arm 9 I of the plunger 60 (Fig. 10) engages the depending lug 62 of the segmental gear or rack thereby pivoting the latter at I9, (counterclockwise, Fig. 9).

This movement of the segmental gear or rack 80 acts, through the medium of the link mechanism 18, to rotate or reset the ratchet 505l,

and the shot indicator or pointer arm 55-, back into their initial positions; a similar resetting device (not shown) being provided for the scoreregistering device II and its pointer or indicator arm 66.

When the player has made a predetermined or allotted number of shots, that is, after the player has operated the trigger switch 25-26 and the shot-registering device 12 a predetermined number of times, a non-conductive element I25, which is carried by the ratchet 50 of the shot-registering device 12 (Fig. 9) engages and opens the switch 92 (Fig. 12) thereby opening the circuit 92---l 0 l99--98-24-9'I96-.-95-I 03-414 tothe pistol lamp 24, and this circuit can not again be closed until the coin slide 58 and plunger 60 are operated to reset theratchet 50 and the pointer or indicator 55 .of the shot-registering device 12 back into their initial positions, this resetting operation moving the arm I24 of the ratchet 50 out of engagement with the switch 92.

While I have illustratedand described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into efiect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a cabinet or casing a photo-sensitive cell in said cabinet; a light source for directing a beam of light at said cell; a switch for opening and closing circuit to said light source; a shutter movably mounted in said cabinet in the path of a beam of light traveling from said light source to said cell; and means for operating said shutter so as to oscillate the latter back and forth in the path oi'a beam of light traveling from said light source to said cell.

2. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a cabinet including a wall having an aperture formed therein; a photo-sensitive cell in said cabinet adjacent said aperture; an electric lamp in said cabinet; a switch for operating said lamp so as to direct a beam of light from the same at said cell; a shutter movably mounted in said cabinet between said aperture and said cell; and means for operating said shutter so as to oscillate the latter back and forth in the path of a beam of light traveling through said aperture toward said cell.

3. In an amusement apparatus, the combination' of a cabinet including a wall having a lightpenetrable' aperture formed therein; a photosensitive cell in said cabinet adjacent said aperture; a pistol in said cabinet; an electric lamp in said pistol; a switch in said pistol for opening and closing circuit to said lamp so as to direct a beam of light from the latter toward said cell; a shutter mounted for oscillatory movement in said cabinet between said aperture and said cell; and means for actuating said shutter so as to oscillate the same in the path of a beam of light traveling from said lamp through said aperture to said cell.

4. In an amusement apparatua the combination of a cabinet including a wall having. :3.

light-penetrable aperture formed therein; a photo-sensitive cell in said cabinet adjacent said aperture; a pistol adjustably mounted in said cabinet for both horizontal and vertical movement; an electric lamp in said pistol; a switch in said pistol for opening and closing circuit to said lamp so as to direct a beam of light from the latter toward said cell; a shutter mounted for oscillatory movement in said cabinet between said aperture and said cell; and means for actuating said shutter so as to oscillate ,the same in the path of a beam of light traveling from said lamp through said aperture to said: cell.

5. In an amusement apparatus, the combination .of: a cabinet including a wall having a light-penetrable aperture formed therein; a photo-sensitivecell in said cabinet adjacent said aperture; a pistol in said cabinet; an electric lamp in said pistol; a switch in said pistol for opening and closing circuit to said' lamp so as to direct a beam of light from the latter toward said cell; a shutter mounted for oscillatory movement in said cabinet between said aperture and said cell; means for actuating said shutter so as to oscillate the same in the path of a beam of light traveling from said lamp through said aperture to said cell; and an operating mechanism in the said cabinet including a movable element operated by actuation of said cell.

6. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet including a wall having a lightpenetrable aperture formed therein; a photosensitive cell in said cabinet adjacent said aperture; a pistol in said cabinet; an electric lamp in said pistol; a switch in said pistol for opening and closing circuit to said lamp so as to direct a beam of light from the .latter toward said cell; a shutter mounted for oscillatory movement in said cabinet between said aperture and said cell; means for actuating said shutter so as to oscillate the same in the path of a beam of light traveling from said lamp through said aperture to said cell; and a score-registering device in said cabinet including a movable indicator element operated by actuation of said cell.

7. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet including a wall having a light-penetrable aperture formed therein; a photo-sensitive cell in said cabinet adjacent said aperture; a pistol adjustably mounted in said cabinet for both horizontal and vertical movement; an electric lamp in said pistol; a switch in said pistol for opening and closing circuit to said lamp so as to direct a beam of light from the latter toward said cell; a shutter mounted for oscillatory movement in said cabinet between said aperture and said cell; means for actuating said shutter so as to oscillate the same in the path of a beam of light traveling from said lamp through said .aperture to said cell; and an operating mechanism in said cabinet including a movable member operated by actuation of said cell.

8. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of: a. cabinet or casing; a photo-sensitive cell in said cabinet; a lamp in said cabinet for directing a beam of light at said cell; a switch for opening and closing circuit to said lamp; a shutter movably mounted in said cabinet between said lamp and said cell; and means for operating said shutter at irregular intervals so as to oscillate the latter back and forth at irregular intervals in the path of a beam of light traveling frogn said lamp to said cell.

JOSEPH H. TIGERMAN. 

